Immigration activists rally across California

18 states take part in nationwide week of action

UPDATED 7:33 PM PDT Apr 10, 2013

SAN FRANCISCO -

Demonstrators marched through San Francisco Wednesday in one of several rallies across California trying to shape the national immigration debate and press Congress to grant a path toward citizenship for immigrants living here illegally.

The crowd estimated to be about 100 people started walking down the city's Market Street around 3 p.m. chanting in English and Spanish and holding signs and banners reading "Reunite Families Now" and "The IRS Agrees My Taxes Are Not Illegal."

The march in San Francisco comes after a Sacramento rally where about 50 people gathered around noon outside the federal courthouse downtown. Speakers at the labor-organized event said they want Congress to approve immigration policy that creates an easy-to-navigate system that won't break apart families.

“I’m really hopeful that this year, everyone will see the light and we’ll do something," said Lino Pedres, an immigrant who spoke at the Sacramento rally. "I’m feeling that everyone wants to do something to fix the broken immigration system.”

One of the attendees, Rosa Torres, said she came to the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 1998 after her mother, who lives in Sacramento, had a heart attack.

Torres said she is the only one in her family who was born outside the U.S. and she fears that one day she could be separated from her 9-year-old daughter.

"I came over here to be with my mother and then as soon as I got here I started working," said Torres, 39, who does maintenance work to support her daughter as well as six nieces and nephews. "I don't come to live by the government, like welfare. I never asked any help for that."

Elsewhere in the state, several hundred people demonstrated peacefully outside the Los Angeles office of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Activists also gathered for a prayer breakfast at a church in San Jose and rallied outside Feinstein's San Diego office.

"It's important to keep pushing for something that is more comprehensive, broad," said Jose Mondragon, 24, who entered the U.S. illegally as an 11-year-old and recently applied for a two-year permit that would grant him permission to work.

The San Diego City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to support broad immigration measures that includes paths to citizenship. Advocacy groups repeatedly failed in previous years to garner such support from the Council.

"Their hearts changed, their minds changed, and they realized that we can no longer have boundaries in our communities," Christian Ramirez, human rights director of advocacy group Alliance San Diego, said to applause at the rally.

In Oakland, 100 to 150 people chanted, "We are people! We are not illegal," at a noon rally and march to the federal building, according to an Oakland Tribune report.

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